County resource guide

Autism Resources in Lee County, Alabama

Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Lee County. Alabama statewide resources also apply.

Lee County (Auburn, Opelika) is home to Auburn University, which contributes clinical training resources. East Alabama Medical Center provides evaluation services. Auburn City and Lee County school districts provide special education. SEAC provides free statewide IEP advocacy. Families also access Columbus, Georgia's Piedmont Columbus Regional for some services.

Provider directory

Local Providers23 providers in Lee County

About our listings

Provider listings on Autism Parent Club are submitted by practices or researched from public sources. All listings are reviewed by a person before publication, and no provider has paid to appear here. Read how we verify listings, or use the “Suggest a correction” link below to flag anything inaccurate.

Filter by age

0 providers in Lee County. Filter by your child’s age — including 18+, which is the hardest to find anywhere.

Based in Lee County

Diagnostic clinics

Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.

Auburn

Auburn University Psychology Clinic

The Auburn University Department of Psychological Sciences training clinic offers psychological evaluations including autism assessments at reduced cost. Faculty-supervised doctoral students provide a rigorous evaluation at a fraction of private-practice rates.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(334) 844-4412

Reduced-cost university training clinic. Doctoral students supervised by licensed faculty.

Opelika · multi-county

East Alabama Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics

Developmental pediatric services at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, offering evaluations and care coordination for children with autism and developmental delays in Lee County.

Ages 0–18(334) 749-3411

ABA therapy

Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.

Auburn · multi-county

Cornerstone Autism Center — Auburn

Center-based ABA therapy serving children in the Auburn-Opelika area. BCBA-supervised programming for children with autism. Accepts commercial insurance consistent with Alabama's ABA insurance mandate.

Ages 2–18

Alabama requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.

Parent & family support

Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.

Auburn

Autism Society of Alabama — Lee County Chapter

Support group and resource network for families in the Auburn-Opelika area. Connects parents with local resources, hosts community events, and advocates for autistic individuals in Lee County.

Ages All ages(334) 264-2600

Also serving Lee County

These 19 are based elsewhere, or operate nationally, and list Lee County in the area they cover. Worth calling to confirm how far they actually travel, and whether telehealth or in-home visits are an option.

Diagnostic clinics

Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.

Opelika · multi-county

East Alabama Medical Center — Developmental Pediatrics (Barbour referral)

East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika provides developmental pediatrics and autism evaluation services accessible to Barbour County families. The closest major pediatric diagnostic resource for families in Eufaula and Clayton, with telehealth follow-up available after initial evaluation.

Ages 0–18Telehealth(334) 528-1000

Drive to Opelika or Dothan for evaluation; telehealth follow-up available.

Opelika · multi-county

East Alabama Medical Center — Developmental Referrals (Russell County)

East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika (Lee County) provides an Alabama-based developmental referral pathway for Russell County families who prefer to stay in-state. Roughly 30 miles from Phenix City on US-280.

Ages 0–18(334) 528-1000

Columbus · multi-county

Piedmont Columbus Regional — Developmental Pediatrics (Russell County)

Phenix City sits directly across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus, Georgia. Piedmont Columbus Regional and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta providers are practically the regional hub for Russell County autism evaluations. Many families cross the bridge for comprehensive diagnostic services.

Ages 0–18(706) 571-1000

Columbus GA is often the practical regional hub for Phenix City families.

Respite care

Respite care providers giving families a break — in-home, center-based, and overnight.

Statewide · multi-county

Alabama Lifespan Respite — family-directed, with counseling included

Worth noting given how restrictive Alabama's waiver is: its respite program is one of the more generous and flexible in the country, and it does not turn on an IQ test. Alabama Lifespan Respite gives unpaid family caregivers statewide a family-directed, personal-choice respite reimbursement — you pick the carer — plus free caregiver mental health counseling, training, and one-to-one resource referrals. The separate H.E.A.R.T.S. program provides voucher-based respite for families of children with additional needs up to age 19.

Free caregiver counseling is included and almost nobody uses it. If the waiver route has excluded you, this one is separate and worth trying.

Searchable by state

ARCH National Respite Locator

A free national directory of respite providers and programs, run by ARCH, the National Respite Network and Resource Center. ARCH says it is not a complete list, so it works best alongside…

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

ARCH's advice is to contact your State Respite Coalition or Lifespan Respite program first. Before you pay out of pocket, also check what your state's Medicaid waiver funds.

39 states and DC have been funded

Your state's Lifespan Respite program

Lifespan Respite programs are federally funded, state-run programs that help family caregivers of children or adults, regardless of special need, find and pay for respite.

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

ARCH lists every state's Lifespan Respite contact and respite coalition on this page. Ask specifically about voucher or stipend programs — that is the part families most often miss.

Advocacy & legal

Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.

Birmingham · multi-county

Alabama Parent Education Center (APEC)

Alabama's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Provides free one-on-one IEP advocacy, training workshops, and dispute support for families in Tuscaloosa and across Alabama. APEC knows Alabama special education law and can accompany families to IEP meetings.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(205) 588-7410

FREE. Federally funded PTI center serving all of Alabama.

Birmingham · multi-county

Alabama Parent Information Network (APIN) — Russell County

Free IEP advocacy for Russell County families from Alabama's federally funded PTI center. Helps Phenix City families understand Alabama IDEA rights and navigate Russell County school district special education processes.

Ages All agesAccepting new patients(205) 328-9060

FREE. Call before any IEP meeting or dispute.

Activities, clubs & recreation

Clubs, sports, camps, and social programs that welcome autistic children and teens — inclusive, adaptive, and special-needs specific.

Jackson's Gap · multi-county

Camp ASCCA

A 236-acre year-round camp on Lake Martin for children AND adults with physical and intellectual disabilities, and a nationally recognized leader in therapeutic recreation. Year-round and all-ages is a rare combination, and it means a family is not restricted to a single week in July.

Ages Children and adults

227 programs in 32 states

ACEing Autism

Tennis clinics for kids, teens and, in some locations, adults on the autism spectrum.

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Cost varies by location and scholarships are available. Use the Find a Program search on their site with your zip code.

About 3,900 camps

American Camp Association — camp finder

A free searchable directory of about 3,900 camps, with a filter for disabilities and other special needs alongside distance, activities, session length and cost. A good single starting…

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Choose day or overnight, then use the "Disabilities and Other Special Needs" filter. Specialized camps can fill early, so start looking in the winter before.

All 50 states — find your local program

Best Buddies

One-to-one friendship matching between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, with programs from elementary school through college and adulthood, plus…

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Ages Elementary school through adult1-800-892-8339

A national organization, not a local listing — use the finder on their site, or call 1-800-89-BUDDY, to locate your nearest program.

Local Easterseals across the country

Easterseals — camps and recreation

Day and residential camps for children and adults with disabilities, plus sports, social activities and community outings run by local Easterseals.

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Programs vary a great deal between locations — use the Find your Easterseals search on the page and check what yours actually runs.

Camps hosted in different towns each year

iCan Shine (iCan Bike)

Teaches people with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle over a five-day camp, 75 minutes a day. iCan Shine says about 80% of participants ride independently by the end…

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Check their Camp Locations page for dates — camps run in different towns each year, so somewhere near you may host this year and not next.

Six cities only: Chicago, DC–Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis

KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now)

Free, non-competitive, one-to-one recreation for youth ages 5 to 21 with physical or developmental disabilities, led by trained volunteer coaches.

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Ages 5–21

Free to families. KEEN runs in six cities plus two university campus chapters (Vanderbilt and the University of Virginia) — outside those, it is not available yet.

Through local Little Leagues — use the League Finder

Little League Challenger Division

Little League's adaptive baseball program for anyone with a physical or intellectual challenge.

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Ages 4–18 (to 22 if in school); Senior League 15+

Use the League Finder on their site to locate the nearest Challenger division, or ask about starting one. Little League's rule is that a player who can take part in regular Little League with reasonable accommodations should do so.

300 leagues — check for one near you

Miracle League

Baseball for children and adults with physical or mental disabilities, played on custom-designed rubberized turf fields that accommodate wheelchairs and other assistive devices.

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Use the Find a Miracle League page on their site — there are 300 leagues, so coverage is good but not universal.

Nationwide — find your local program

Special Olympics

Year-round sports training and competition for children and adults.

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Ages 8+ (Young Athletes: 2–7)

Eligibility requires an intellectual disability, a cognitive delay measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay, identified by an agency or professional. If your child is autistic without a cognitive delay, have a direct conversation about fit before signing up rather than after. Ask your local program about any costs.

Through local soccer clubs

TOPSoccer (US Youth Soccer)

The Outreach Program for Soccer — recreational soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities, offered through local US Youth Soccer clubs.

A national program with local chapters — we have not verified a chapter in this county. Use their finder to locate the nearest one.

Find your state association's TOPSoccer clubs through the link on their page, or ask your state association office directly — it is often not advertised on the club's own website.

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Helpful guides

Guides for Lee County families

Step-by-step help on the topics that matter most.

Communities served

Cities in Lee County

Serving families across Lee County including Auburn, Opelika, Smiths Station, Phenix City, Loachapoka, Beauregard, Salem, Waverly, Notasulga and Marvyn and more.

AuburnOpelikaSmiths StationPhenix CityLoachapokaBeauregardSalemWaverlyNotasulgaMarvyn

See all Alabama resources

Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Alabama.

Alabama state guide →

Common questions

Answered from the providers currently listed for this county — these update as the directory does.

How many autism providers serve Lee County, Alabama?

We list 11 providers serving Lee County, covering respite care, advocacy & legal, diagnostic clinics, parent & family support and activities, clubs & recreation, plus 1 more. Some are based in the county and others serve it from nearby areas. Every listing is reviewed by a person before it is published.

Where can I find ABA therapy in Lee County?

ABA providers serving Lee County are listed in the ABA therapy section of this page, with phone numbers and websites. Many deliver services in the family's home or at school as well as in a clinic. Ask about waitlists when you call — they vary widely and change month to month.

Are there telehealth autism services for Lee County families?

Yes — 1 provider serving Lee County offers telehealth or virtual sessions. This is often the fastest route to support for families in rural areas or on long local waitlists.

Does Medicaid pay for autism services in Alabama?

Alabama families can apply to the Intellectual Disabilities (ID) Waiver, Living at Home Waiver and Community Waiver Program, a Medicaid waiver that can fund respite, therapies and in-home support. The typical wait is Multi-year on both established waivers, and your place is usually set by the date you apply — so applying early matters even if you are unsure what services you need. Many waivers also disregard parental income, so families who don't qualify for regular Medicaid often still qualify here.

What if I can't find an autism provider in Lee County?

If none of the Lee County providers is the right fit, these Alabama counties currently have the most listed providers: Shelby County (22), Etowah County (21), DeKalb County (20), Hale County (20). Many providers travel or offer telehealth, so it is worth calling even if they are not based nearby. You can also tell us about a provider we are missing.

Nearby counties in Alabama

You know things we don’t

Still missing from Lee County

These are the things no database has and every parent knows. If you can answer one of them, another family in Lee Countygets an afternoon back. It takes about a minute and you don’t need to know the business details — a name and a rough location is enough for us to check.

We check everything before it goes up, and nobody pays to be listed. How we verify.

Get told when this page changes

New provider in Lee County? We'll email you.

One email when we verify a new provider in Lee County — no newsletter, no digest, nothing else. Some counties hear from us a few times a year and some stay quiet for months; we would rather send you nothing than send you filler.

We store your address and county, and nothing else. How we handle it.

See something that needs fixing?

Providers move, phone numbers change, and links break — it happens. If anything on this page is out of date, wrong, or no longer working, please tell us and we’ll fix it. Keeping this accurate for autism families is the whole reason we’re here.

Report a correction →

Help the community

Know a great provider in Lee County?

If a therapist, clinic, or specialist helped your family, tell us about them and we’ll add them to the directory so other families can find them too.

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For providers

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